We first need to eliminate and block the funding of terrorists within our borders
LAHORE: This is with reference to the recently heightened tensions and sabre-rattling by India, following uprising and genocide in Occupied Kashmir and the attack on the Uri military base. What India needs to know is that the Pakistan Army today is led by a professional general who comes from a family of dedicated soldiers who have laid down their lives for the motherland. With both India and Pakistan having nuclear capability of mutual destruction, it should serve as deterrence for war. Under the command of General Raheel Sharif, our valiant soldiers have proven their capability to protect every inch of Pakistan.
Sanity needs to prevail on both sides of border. India needs to accept the reality and existence of Pakistan as a sovereign independent state. It must also curb Hindu fundamentalism practised by the likes of Shiv Sena. The country needs to follow the vision of Mahatma Gandhi. Otherwise, it will continue to face insurgencies that grip numerous states located on its borders with Burma, south India and others, including resentment among Kashmiri youth seeking their basic rights of freedom.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif delivered a very balanced speech at the United Nations in which he highlighted the crux of the issues between the two nuclear neighbours. Destiny and fate have placed both of our countries geographically as neighbours. Pakistan’s political leadership and our establishment need to redraft priorities of our foreign policy with emphasis on good relations within the region, especially with our neighbours. We should realise that religion alone cannot be a sole priority on which relations with foreign countries are based, nor should we be willing to get entangled in the proxy wars of others as was done by General Ziaul Haq and General (ret’d.) Pervez Musharraf. We should not allow any private armed groups and militias on our territory.
There is too much poverty in both countries and they need to focus on economic growth, while cracking down on massive corruption and an unchecked black economy, especially in Pakistan where open money laundering, brain drain and flight of capital freely exist. Pakistan and its leadership must continue the crackdown with an iron fist on terrorism, which is the primary objective of Operation Zarb-e-Azb. We first need to eliminate and block the funding of terrorists within our borders.
Malik Tariq Ali
Published in The Express Tribune, September 24th, 2016.
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